Journal article
Chemosensitive serotonergic neurons are closely associated with large medullary arteries
Nature neuroscience, Vol.5(5), pp.401-402
05/2002
DOI: 10.1038/nn848
PMID: 11967547
Abstract
We have previously shown that serotonergic neurons of the medulla are strongly stimulated by an increase in CO2, suggesting that they are central respiratory chemoreceptors. Here we used confocal imaging and electron microscopy to show that neurons immunoreactive for tryptophan hydroxylase (TpOH) are tightly apposed to large arteries in the rat medulla. We used patch-clamp recordings from brain slices to confirm that neurons with this anatomical specialization are chemosensitive. Serotonergic neurons are ideally situated for sensing arterial blood CO2, and may help maintain pH homeostasis via wide-ranging effects on brain function. The results reported here support a recent proposal that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) results from a developmental abnormality of medullary serotonergic neurons.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Chemosensitive serotonergic neurons are closely associated with large medullary arteries
- Creators
- Richard A Jacobs - The Salk InstituteStefania Risso Bradley - Departments of NeurologyChristopher A Severson - Departments of NeurologyWengang Wang - Departments of NeurologyVincent A Pieribone - Departments of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University The J. Pierce LaboratoryGeorge B Richerson - Departments of Neurology Departments of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University The Veteran's Affairs Medical Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nature neuroscience, Vol.5(5), pp.401-402
- DOI
- 10.1038/nn848
- PMID
- 11967547
- ISSN
- 1097-6256
- eISSN
- 1546-1726
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2002
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurosurgery
- Record Identifier
- 9984013113102771
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